Latest Music

Time to Repair

SuperTonic

If there's any solace to be found in isolation, it's best spent in the company of music. And if one can be judged by the company they keep, this is album that makes good friends. And so you're invited to listen. And you'll want to listen again. And when we're all back to beingsocial butterfliesand out of the house and perhapswide awakeunder the

If there's any solace to be found in isolation, it's best spent in the company of music. And if one can be judged by the company they keep, this is album that makes good friends. And so you're invited to listen. And you'll want to listen again. And when we're all back to being social butterflies and out of the house and perhaps wide awake under the lavender moon, there's a good chance when we slow down and spend the time once more, within the depth and richness of this new album we'll be glad we did. Introducing Super Tonic.

Created during the first few months of the pandemic by David Pulkingham and J. Stiles, both full-time musicians, based in Austin, Texas (who support other performers, like Patty Griffin, Pike and Sutton, and others), while these house-mates had before rarely played together, because of their previously rigorous touring and performance schedules, suddenly in quarantine, it just all came together in the collaborative spirit that is at the root of this feel-good record.

The core trio of Super Tonic – David Pulkingham (guitar/vocals), Jay Stiles (keys/vocals) and Alan Eckert (drums), recorded these ten songs in one day at 512 Studios in Austin, in June 2020. They sent the tracks to Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar) and Frank Deresti (Frank Deresti and the Lake Effect) for electric and upright bass tracks. They then added vocals and keys and guitars in their living room, using a variety of real organic instruments (Hammond organ, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, piano, Clavinet, accordian, melodica, Moog, electric guitar, steel string guitar, nylon string guitar) to capture a unique and potent vibe. Gordie Johnson obliged to add his mixing magic and some background vocals Howie Weinberg in Los Angeles added his impeccable mastering to the project.

Review: "I wasn’t ready for what this album delivers".

"The two loudest concerts I have even seen were Big Sugar. One of the quietest but most engaging shows I have ever witnessed was Frank Deresti and the Lake Effect at Northern Lights Festival Boreal, when the second stage generator blew up. Somehow, their quiet, acoustic folk/jazz managed to cut through the traffic noise behind them, and they put on a magical performance that made me a fan for life, and a friend to every member of the band. Jay D. Stiles’ melodica went straight to my heart.

Elements of these two acts come together as Supertonic, so I was predisposed to liking the music before I even heard it. Add a co-lead vocalist and guitar player with a pedigree like David Pulkingham’s (Alejandro Escovedo, Patty Griffin, both of whom I LOVE), and a music teacher and session-playing drummer like in Alan Eckert, and you’re going in prepared for a good, pleasant listening experience. Maybe even a great one.

But I wasn’t ready for what this album delivers. Like the best songs, they reflect the shared, common human experiences that make up life. Pulkingham and Styles share lead vocal duties, and on the tracks where their voices do meld, in addition to some of the beautiful harmony work by the stellar supporting players like Gordie Johnson, it’s magic.

There is no wasted tape here – the tracks get to the point, and clock in at “just right”. (Although the ethereal instrumental Lavender Moon could go on all day and I wouldn’t complain. Perfect for those never-long-enough moments of chill.)

A few of the songs start out feeling a bit…relentless. But without fail, they proceed to give you some breathing room, gently lay you down, then lift you again. Not quite a rollercoaster – more like being in love. And Fly Away almost levitates.

With talented multi-instrumentalists, sometimes you get too much – in this case, the instruments come in, make their case tastefully, get stripped away, and leave you wanting more. This is a full package deal, a true “album” that has the kind of dynamics, from song to song - and within the songs - that bears full and repeated listens. It will grab you right away, and then grow on you even more.

The influences are all there, presented in a way that is unique but still familiar, running a gamut of styles that fuse seamlessly. You’re treated to virtuoso musicianship that is, like the people making it, devoid of pretention. This record is a joy to listen to. Timely and timeless, rich in messaging, and delivering on a feeling so many have been missing – hope.

I don’t want to pigeon-hole it into any season, time, or state of mind, because right NOW this is the perfect moment for these 10 tracks. Put Supertonic’s Time to Repair on your playlist – it’ll keep itself there."

-- Sean Barrette